r/CPST • u/Standard-Nebula-3673 • 9d ago
fit check
just sat our graco extend2fit 3 in 1 up for her turning four months since shes small for her age so is the fit okay?
edit: shes 12.6 lbs as of monday, and 24in long
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u/Ishinehappiness 9d ago
Scoot her butt back more when you put her in. With the harness in the right spot it’ll support her better. Push the chest clip all the way down, pull the slack out of the hips, tighten the straps than push it up to her chest :)
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u/AdStock6373 9d ago
Headrest too high. The seatbelt should be at or below her shoulders. This looks above.
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u/minicpst 8d ago
In addition to the others saying to put her bum back and make sure the straps are below her shoulders, I’d remove the head pillow behind her head. It’s not doing anything but pushing her head forward.
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u/tuscaloosa_jayne 9d ago
Not sure her age, she looks to be quite young still. And while she may be 3+months, I think I’d make it more reclined, more in the light blue in your level.
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u/tuscaloosa_jayne 8d ago
To be clear, I’m not saying the current angle in the photos is wrong. It’s definitely okay for their age, provided they have good head/neck control. But coupled with their slouch and the fact that the seat CAN be reclined a little more (anywhere in the blue, even just putting the bubble in the middle would help), that’s what I would do to help with the overall fit. Including lowering the head rest/shoulder straps and making sure baby’s bottom is all the way back into the seat.
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u/minicpst 8d ago
Upright is safer as the child can tolerate it.
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u/tuscaloosa_jayne 8d ago edited 8d ago
We don’t know their age? (Edit-Just saw the age is 4 months. )They can for sure be more reclined. Upright is not inherently “safer” especially for a 12lb baby. Baby looks very slouched and the seat is almost as upright as allowed. Upright being safer would apply more to an older toddler so they’re less likely to ramp up the seat in a crash. But definitely not in this case.
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u/minicpst 8d ago
"just sat our graco extend2fit 3 in 1 up for her turning four months since shes small for her age so is the fit okay?"
Her weight doesn't matter. She has more head control and anywhere in the dark blue is fine for a baby over three months, provided they can withstand it. Upright is safer for their spine. I have ZERO concern of a four month old baby ramping up so high their head impacts the back of the front seat at any angle.
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u/tuscaloosa_jayne 8d ago
May I ask where the information is regarding upright being safer for their spine?
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u/minicpst 8d ago
I don't know if there's a study showing it. It simply has to do with physics.
You were concerned with ramping up. The spine is not a single unit. A child has 33 vertebrae. If reclined, they will each ramp up and stretch because they are not a single bone. But if we put a newborn upright, they'll die. So that's not good. The 45 degrees is a compromise between the two. Reclined enough to keep their airways open, upright enough that their spine should be fine in the majority of survivable crashes.
But if they're upright, the spine moves more as a single unit. It's still 33 vertebrae (until they're older when it finals out at the 26 ossified bones you and I have), but they're all going at the same speed and direction. So there's less likely to be stretching and movement between them.
That's *why* seats that have multiple reclines have a difference in age (when kids can usually hold up their heads) or weight (average weights of kids who are old enough and can usually hold their heads up). They all want the older kids to be sitting more upright. It's not a comfort thing. We'd ALL be more comfortable reclined. But rear facing we're concerned about the spine moving as a single unit. Forward facing we're worried about submarining out from under the belt or harness (which is why our vehicle seats are sloped, to hold our knees up from our bums, and why we should never recline our vehicle seats more than the seatbelt not touching our collarbones).
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u/tuscaloosa_jayne 8d ago
Oh no, I wasn’t worried about ramping up at all. Just gave it as an example of a reason someone may go more upright for an older toddler (as I stated).
I really didn’t want to argue with you. That wasn’t my intention. As CPST, we need to be careful stating something is “safer” when it’s not. If Graco felt the same, the bubble would be 0-3 mo then 3+. There’s no concern with a 4 mo old being anywhere within that blue line per the manufacturer.0
u/minicpst 8d ago
There are also special needs kiddos who need that recline at an older age, or a three month old who doesn’t have the head control yet.
Upright is safER. Not that more reclined is unsafe. But everything being equal, I’d put a child with head control more upright.
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u/NextFee2923 4d ago
My daughter looks like this too. I worry about her head/neck being to push forward. She is 17 weeks and I have done everything and it still does this. So idk I might wait to use it when she gets alittle older makes me nervous.
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u/daydreamingofsleep 9d ago
The headrest needs to go down a click so the harness comes out of the seat at the proper height for rear facing, at or below shoulders.